


Getting Started

by Spinifex



Category: Star Trek: Picard
Genre: Assorted Emergency Holograms, F/F, Femslash, First Time, Getting to Know Each Other, Humor, NSFW, PWP, Podfic Available, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-23
Updated: 2020-05-23
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:54:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24270913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spinifex/pseuds/Spinifex
Summary: 'There were thirteen standard earth days between the beginning and end of Raffi’s endurance.Three hundred and twelve hours (eighteen thousand, seven hundred and twenty minutes), of virtuous, almost saint-like patience; stretching between point A, and point Z.'Raffi spends way too much time waiting for the right moment to move things along with Seven.Eventually, she makes her own opportunity.
Relationships: Raffi Musiker/Seven of Nine
Comments: 21
Kudos: 64





	Getting Started

**Author's Note:**

> Thimblerig made this into a podfic, and it's glorious. I urge you to listen to it.  
> [ **[PODFIC] Getting Started, by Spinifex**](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24551863) (168 words) by [**Thimblerig**](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thimblerig)  
>  Chapters: 1/1  
> Visit, listen, send them your love!
> 
> Meanwhile, Regionalpancake made a gorgeous fanart for one of the scenes towards the end. It is beautiful and full of feeling. Please go look at it and give her some love too!   
>  click to follow to the fanart 

# Getting Started

**(a comedy in very few parts)**

*****

It started with _: “…I need you to have sex with me. -”_

*****

There were thirteen standard earth days between the beginning and end of Raffi’s endurance.

Three hundred and twelve hours (eighteen thousand, seven hundred and twenty minutes), of virtuous, almost saint-like patience. Each one of them stretching and pulling her, like molten candy, between Point A, and Point Z.

Point A: That first moment of recognition when Seven first touched their hands together, winding the tentative warmth of her fingers between Raffi’s own.

Points B to Y; a thousand, million, trillion moments of temptation and frustration. Where both of them were too cautious, or too busy, or too…surrounded by their crewmates on the _La Sirena_ for either of them to make the next move.

One hundred different excuses for her to linger near the replicator, while Seven was making coffee. Getting dinner. Standing nearby. Fifty awkward moments when either caught the other watching contemplatively, appreciatively, before blushing and looking quickly away. Fifteen moments when their eye-contact held; Heat singing across that fragile connection.

Eighty-three touches: innocent, but purposeful: Too many interrupted moments on their crowded little starship. _Uncountable_. So many instances where one of them leaned closer, eyes closing. The long-anticipated first touch of the other woman’s mouth just a fraction of a second away...

And then: enter Elnor, mangling an apology for in-butting again. Or, some random, ridiculously-accented hologram: Oblivious and bumbling, and obstinately refusing to quit ruining the mood.

One memorable, quiet occasion, where she and Seven spent a solid five minutes just grinning stupidly at each other. Both of Seven’s hands curled into Raffi’s smaller ones. Seven tugging Raffi closer, playfully. - Both of them straddling the same bench seat in the mess hall, facing one another. Seven pulling their clasped hands in towards her chest. Making Raffi lean forwards, heart beating faster...

Surely this would be their moment? _It utterly, absolutely_ , _must be now_?

Seven’s thighs shifting; Bracketed on either side of Raffi’s knees on the bench in front of her. - One hand moving from Raffi’s fingers, to brush an imaginary strand of hair behind Raffi’s ear. (She really didn’t even need a pretence at this point). Her blue-grey eyes dropped to Raffi’s mouth.

...An inhale...Then heated, purposeful eye-contact. _Decision made_. Seven leaning forwards a fraction, ready to claim her. Pausing, for one last moment. _So close_ – ( _God, Seven, please come closer_ ), a wordless request for Raffi’s permission.

Raffi’s nod, anticipating…

Captain Rios crashing in with brotherly, tactless humour, and declaring that the pair of them should _really_ get a room.

…Both of them jumping apart. The golden moment gone.

Seven standing up, glaring at Rios, and then stalking away.

*****

Once Raffi recovered from the crushing disappointment, she gave the Captain a dressing-down that had the paint peeling off the walls. He swore that he’d never do it again. ( _Or else, god help her, she’d have his balls for breakfast_ ).

*****

_Thirteen long, interminable god-damned days of hopeless foreplay._

A rare, private moment of solitude with Seven. (No one watching. No one listening…).

…Point Z: The moment when Raffi finally snapped.

Either Seven took her right here, _right now,_ against the wall of the god-damned transporter room, or heads would _roll_. Because if she didn’t, then Raffi would drown in a tsunami of sexual and romantic frustration that yet another night of furious wanking against her pillow was not going to resolve.

Her pillow certainly couldn’t take another round of it.

Eager to get this tension over with, Raffi said, “Seven…I need you to have sex with me. - Please.” Then she nodded, once. As if to make a point; “Now. If you’re amenable.”

Seven was very happy to comply.

She backed Raffi up: against the transporter console.

“If I’m amenable?” she laughed.

Seven braced one thigh between Raffi’s legs. The muscle of her quadricep was a firm, warm promise beneath their clothes. Seven cupped one hand around Raffi’s jaw, steadying her. She took a deep breath. Gave Raffi a bright-eyed, _hungry_ look.

That look made a shiver go through her; Raffi bit her lip, her gaze torn between Seven’s burning eyes and gorgeous mouth.

“Is that…is that a yes?” Raffi said.

Then Seven kissed her.

\- Oh god, yes. Finally. _Finally._

The transporter beamed up some particles of space rock that were passing by at warp. Raffi fumbled at the transporter controls and beamed them back outside again. She had one hand under the hem of Seven’s jacket, bunching up the top that she was wearing underneath it. Raffi's fingers on the warm skin and metal of Seven’s back. The transporter console made a forlorn beep of protest against the jumbled input of the controls. Seven pressed the button to make the console lock. Her tongue was inside Raffi’s mouth, so doing things with the buttons on the control panel was hard. She got it on the second try…oh, wait, hang on - she tried again. (Beep-blip). _There_.

Then she grabbed a handful of Raffi’s bum and squeezed.

Raffi moaned into Seven’s mouth. She rocked her hips against Seven’s thigh. Grind, and twist. Then back again. Seven returned the movement, breaking away with a gasp, hot breath on Raffi’s cheek. She rested her brow against Raffi’s forehead.

Seven slid her hands up Raffi’s back, ruffling her shirt and then grasping her shoulders tight. Their noses were still touching. The tip of Seven’s nose was cold; Like she’d been outside, even though she hadn’t gone anywhere. Raffi crossed her eyes, trying to look at Seven. She was an out-of-focus, lovely blur. Raffi was short of breath. Seven was too.

“Take me to your quarters,” Seven said.

Raffi saw no reason to decline.

*

The door to Raffi’s quarters couldn’t close fast enough. _Oh god, yes._ The wall would do.

Raffi slumped against the wall beside the door, dragging Seven with her. Seven seemed to want to dominate, like she wanted to order Raffi around. She also seemed to be urging Raffi to do with her as she pleased. _Okay_. _Interesting_ …Raffi could work with that.

Seven’s kisses returned. Her lips teasing and stroking as her fingers ghosted over Raffi’s cheek. Raffi urged Seven to kiss her harder, to take full opportunity to steal her breath away while she was still supported by the wall. Seven moaned. Or maybe Raffi did.

Whoever it was, it was _loud_.

Raffi’s hands wandered from Seven’s hair to her arms to her waist. Borg reinforcements in contrast to the give of skin beneath her fingertips. Seven was exploring Raffi’s jawline. Both of her hands smoothing over Raffi’s sides, sneaking beneath her shirt and underlining each of her ribs. The light caresses were electrifying.

Raffi wanted Seven to move her hands higher. She slid down against the wall, not a long distance. Only far enough for Seven’s hands to move firmly into place, where Raffi wanted them. Her warm, wide palms over Raffi’s breasts. Seven's fingers squeezed reflexively. There was definitely a sound of the wanton variety coming out of Raffi’s mouth.

Seven smiled against her cheek and bit her earlobe. A soft laugh of understanding near Raffi’s ear. Seven squeezed again, once, her fingers moving slower. Her fingernails glanced over one nipple, through the fabric of Raffi’s bra. Seven smoothed her hand out, palm flat. Fingers reaching for Raffi’s collarbone. Touching the hollow of her neck. Seven kissed the shadowed skin there. And then, _sweet Jesus_ , a hint of teeth. Raffi made that noise again.

It was probably embarrassing. But Raffi was too wrapped up in Seven’s… _everything_ …to care.

Seven was wearing one of her leather jackets over her shirt. It was the black one. The jacket, not the shirt. She seemed to really like wearing it. - Even though Raffi thought it was far too warm to wear on board the starship. It always drew Raffi’s attention to Seven’s narrow, inviting waist, and inevitably lower, too. And then her eyes would stay there. Stubbornly. Admiring the other woman’s ass. That jacket could keep Raffi’s attention on Seven’s lovely form for _days_.

But she digressed.

It was hot on this ship, and it was hot in this room. The jacket had to go. Raffi had no idea why Seven was wearing it. ( _Seven was wearing it for her. Hoping that Raffi would notice her while she was wearing it. Because a large part of Seven was still a raving perfectionist and it never hurt to plan ahead_ ). Just because the Borg Collective had no appreciation for aesthetics, that didn’t mean that Seven couldn’t tell when she looked hot.

Raffi pushed the jacket off Seven’s shoulders. The leather crumpled to the floor. It landed with a swish and a flop. Raffi’s hands returned to Seven’s waist.

Seven looked good without the jacket, too. Her arms were lithe and powerful. Human-soft and Borg technology: successfully made one. Raffi was fascinated. She bit her lip, looking up at Seven’s face. There were cute little dimples in each of Seven’s cheeks when she grinned. Raffi grinned back. She never thought she’d feel this giddy. _Well that’s me proved wrong._

Seven leaned in and dragged her teeth along Raffi’s earlobe. It made Raffi squeak in a way that Seven enjoyed. She sucked a small, oval bruise onto the skin between the curve of Raffi’s jaw and the top of her neck. It was a perfect combination of wet heat, soft tongue, and ( _heaven help me_ ) gentle teeth. She’d obviously figured out that Raffi liked it when she did that. Then Seven pulled back. She spoke breathlessly, urgently. Like she had just finished a marathon. Her voice was soft and secret, “Undress me, Raffi.”

Raffi bit her lip, hard. Something hot and delicious in her stomach swooped. Her hands fluttered over Seven’s biceps when she spoke; _Okay_. “Yes, okay. Yes.” _Oh god, Wow. We’re finally, really doing this._ “Yes.”

Seven smirked. “Are you aware that you’re saying all of that out loud?”

An undignified snort from Raffi.

“What? Oh, be quiet, and let me undress you.”

Raffi grinned, and it was saucy. Seven’s eyes widened. Raffi looked at her. Oh… _oh. She liked that little command._

Raffi undid the catch at the front of Seven’s trousers. Eased the zipper open with one trembling hand. The sound was rude and loud in the quiet room. Raffi’s other hand was already gainfully occupied: Groping as far as was possible down the length of Seven’s perfect thigh. She used that leverage to tug the other woman closer. She pulled Seven’s knee around her hip. Traced the curve of Seven’s hamstring from the plump of her buttock to the crease of her knee. Raffi pressed her kisses along the column of Seven’s throat. Seven rolled her entire body against her. Thighs, hips, stomach, chest. She made small incoherent noises of appreciation. Raffi was delirious.

Seven pressed Raffi’s back hard against the cabin wall. She used all of her body weight. Raffi thought that Seven was very heavy because her bones were reinforced with tritanium alloy. And she was also very tall. And extremely attractive. And if Raffi felt honest, a little intimidating. Which was also hot.

So, Raffi had a thing for tall, hot, bad-assed and tritanium-reinforced, ex-Borg women-

Seven made a moan somewhere deep in her throat. The sound vibrated under the smile of Raffi’s lips against her pulse-point. Seven's forearms rested loose against Raffi’s shoulders. But her fingers were tangled into Raffi’s hair.

\- Or maybe she just had a thing for Seven?

Seven's nails rasped over Raffi’s scalp, and Raffi shivered.

_Definitely the second one._

Raffi’s free hand snuck beneath the waistband of Seven’s trousers. Her fingertips glancing over, instead of under, the elastic of her underpants. This was disappointing, but there would be plenty of other opportunities to come. (As in, to come later. Not the other -Oh, never mind). The fabric of Seven’s trousers was tight against the back of Raffi’s hand, even with the flies undone. _How on earth did she squeeze into them?_ She couldn’t even flex her fingers for a decent grope. She couldn’t flex them far enough for an indecent one. Raffi wasn’t getting anywhere like this. She broke the contact and pushed Seven away from her, reluctantly. Then she hooked one finger into the waistband of Seven’s pants.

“Help me take your trousers off.” Said Raffi.

“As you wish.” Seven replied. 

Seven pulled Raffi’s hands to her body and threaded their fingers through the belt loops. The smooth skin of Seven’s belly was warm against Raffi’s knuckles. The way she looked at Raffi through her eyelashes was coy. Seven wriggled her hips left and right and helped Raffi push the fabric down. There were problems when the pathway to removal was blocked by Seven’s boots. Seven straightened and let Raffi unzip them, watching Raffi from a great height. Then Raffi helped her to step out of her boots and pants. Her socks were next.

Raffi looked up at Seven from the floor. She was a vision, towering over Raffi with her long bare legs, tight cotton underpants and long-sleeved blue shirt. There was a dirty little smile on Seven’s lips. It let Raffi know what Seven was busy thinking about, with Raffi on her knees before her. _And damn, well wasn’t that an interesting thought?_

Raffi pressed her lips to Seven’s knee and smiled. Ran both hands up the back of Seven’s calves, around the indentations of her knees and then the outer flanks of Seven’s thighs. Seven watched with an open mouth when Raffi paused to taste the skin of Seven’s belly with her tongue. Just a light, inquisitive touch. Her skin tasted faintly of salt and mostly of nothing. She smelled quite nice. Raffi brushed her fingers over the hem of Seven’s underpants, where the material curved over her ass-cheek and then between her legs. She kept her touches light, and teasing. Because she liked the way that Seven watched her forearm move; with interest.

There were only three or four short paces needed for them both to stumble from the wall where they were standing to the edge of Raffi’s bed. Seven sat down on it, and tumbled Raffi on top of her, laughing quietly. ( _Because ex-Borg, ex-Fenris Rangers didn’t giggle. They were definitely too_ _bad-assed for that_ ). Raffi’s clothed shins straddled Seven’s naked legs. And her shoes made two dull thuds as she kicked them to the floor.

The bedclothes rumpled into valleys when Raffi pulled her legs back under her, tangling their limbs together. Seven lay her head and shoulders on the pillows. She looked at Raffi for a long second, as though she was committing the moment to memory. Raffi looked right back, loving the calm of Seven’s face and the way their bodies were pressed together when Seven took a deep breath. It felt momentous.

Seven put her thumb against Raffi’s lips, and Raffi nipped it. That made Seven smile.

“Hi.” Said Seven, when Raffi released her fingertip.

Seven’s smile was infectious, and Raffi couldn’t stop herself from smiling back (why would she?).

“Hey, honey.” Raffi said.

Then she collapsed down onto one forearm, and pushed her fingers between the pillow and the back of Seven’s head, cradling it. Now Seven’s mouth was very close. Raffi wanted very much to kiss her. Seven traced her fingers over Raffi’s jaw, and then her throat. Raffi wrapped her free hand around Seven’s wandering one and held them both against her chest. She hoped that Seven could feel her heart beat there. It was pounding hard enough.

“Kiss me Raffi?” Seven asked.

“Yes.” Raffi replied.

Raffi tipped her head and pressed her lips to Seven’s. This kiss was gentler than the ones before it. It started with feather-light contact, and turned to something deeper and more intense, until Seven ground her hips insistently against one of Raffi’s thighs. Seven broke the kiss with a groan. She had both hands under Raffi’s shirt: one was kneading the muscles of her back and the other one was on her bra, on the precipice of sneaking inside it. She was stroking her fingers over Raffi’s nipple. It was distracting, but not nearly good enough. Raffi pushed her body into Seven’s hand, her hair brushing against Seven’s cheek.

Seven growled with frustration, her voice low in Raffi’s ear. “Damn it,” She was breathing heavily. “We have way too many clothes on.”

Raffi put her hands onto Seven’s stomach and gathered up the hem of Seven’s shirt. “Mmmh, yeah. You’re right. We should fix that.” She said, and helped pull the garment over Seven’s head.

There was a brief, awkward interlude where they dealt with Raffi’s shirt and pants, and then their underwear. Both of them sometimes hindered, instead of helped by getting side-tracked with the revelation of warm skin and contours that they’d previously spent time only thinking about. It was a little fantastic.

Seven dropped the last item of clothing onto the pile behind her and pushed them off the edge of the bed. They fell to the floor in a hushed, cloth-y _flump_. Raffi watched Seven turning back to her; the woman she’d spent hours longing for finally stretched out before her appreciative eyes. Raffi picked up Seven’s hand, and placed it on her waist, and then Seven moved it lower, smoothing over the warm skin of Raffi’s hip.

“You are unbelievably beautiful, Seven.” Raffi said.

Seven smiled, “Thanks. And…likewise.” Then she pulled Raffi closer, so they were reclining face to face. Seven looked down with a sudden wave of shyness. She placed her hand on Raffi’s chest, over her heart. “I…didn’t know what to expect.” She said.

Raffi looked at Seven curiously. “What do you mean?”

Seven looked away, and back again, to her hand on Raffi’s chest. “Now’s probably not the right time.” She conceded. But Raffi took her hand, and brought their knuckles to her lips.

“It’s okay honey, I’m listening.”

Seven looked up from their hands and captured Raffi’s gaze. Her eyes were hesitant, and serious, and blue. She spoke gently, another confession. “This thing between us.” She started, “I – Raffi, I’m really into you. And I…I guess I wasn’t expecting it. After the last time.” She took another deep breath, and Raffi regarded her. The feeling in her chest somewhere between confused and amazed. Seven continued, “I didn’t think I could want somebody again. And then I met you.”

Raffi shut her eyes. She felt her breath rush out of her lungs, and filled them back up again. “Oh, Seven.” She said, “I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything.” Seven said, but Raffi was quick to correct her.

“No, I do, honey. I mean…I’m into you too.” Raffi shrugged sheepishly, and ducked her chin against her chest. She gestured between their naked bodies, “Obviously.” Then she reached out and brushed a thread of hair behind Seven’s ear, and took her hand again. “I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve made mistakes. And that I’m nowhere near ‘perfect’. I can’t promise that I will never hurt you – maybe by accident, but I will try not to do it on purpose.”

Seven huffed out a laugh. It was a relieved sound, mostly carried on one breath. “That’s better than most.”

Raffi smiled slowly and leaned in to Seven, then claimed her lips. It was sweet and slow, and her eyes fluttered shut. She rolled over onto her back, using the tangle of their legs to urge Seven to roll with her. Now the other woman straddled Raffi, her hair cascading in a mess over her shoulders as she smiled down at her.

Raffi looked up and ran her hands down Seven’s arms. She said, “I want to see where this goes, Seven. There’s a small chance that it might go nowhere. But that’s not what I’m hoping for...” Her fingers brushed the underside of Seven’s breasts, and Raffi succumbed to temptation, cupping them both into her hands and allowing herself to feel. Seven bit her lip and moaned, and Raffi felt a hot shiver of _want_ move through her. Raffi licked her lips, “Are you with me?”

Seven nodded, the heat returning to her eyes as she looked at Raffi hungrily. She moved one hand between their bodies. She made Raffi gasp when her fingers circled her clitoris, and then slid lower, spreading her apart. She started moving her fingers, the subtle motion made Raffi hot and wet. Then Seven was kissing her. And Raffi was holding on tight.

Seven was everywhere, and Raffi was blissed out. They switched to sliding their bodies together. Seven was a delicious heat on her thigh and her hands were on Raffi’s buttocks, and waist, and back, tumbling them both so that now Raffi was on top of her. Seven moved her body like a sine wave, and pulled her lover tightly against her, her mouth breathless at Raffi’s throat. The rush of completion was pulling Raffi to the edge, and she could tell that Seven was nearing it, too. She pressed herself against Seven’s leg, and felt the answering push, Seven’s breathless voice against her ear. “Yes, Raffi. _Oh-_ ” Seven followed Raffi to orgasm, falling hard alongside her, “-I’m with you.” She repeated it, gasping, “I- _oh, please, yes. Raffi -_ I’m with you.”

*****

It ended with:

Seven’s head on Raffi’s spare pillow. Their bodies cooling as they lay together, with goofy, shagged-out smiles on their faces. Contentment. …Then Seven’s irritation, as she props herself up on one elbow and pokes at the offending pillow, examining it.

Raffi watching her with amusement, “Is there something wrong with it?”

Seven pouting. _Can she be any more adorable?_ “It’s…lumpy. You should replicate a new one.”

Raffi blushing, remembering what she’d been using that pillow for. Picking the item up and tossing it across the room, where it hits the wall and tumbles accusingly to the floor, abandoned casually. _Sorry friend, I have a new lover now._ “Uh. Yeah. Sorry about that.” Raffi grabbing another pillow out of nowhere. Patting it down where Seven will be laying her head, “Here’s…here’s a new one.”

Seven laughing, guessing at what Raffi has done…was doing. And laying back down beside her with a teasing smirk. ( _She’s here now_ ).

Raffi smiling back and tangling their fingers.

*****

It ended with, ( _or was it just beginning?_ ): “I really think we should do this again.”

**[End]**

**Author's Note:**

> Please remember this story that I wrote for all of you, when you want to kill me later...  
> 

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[PODFIC] Getting Started, by Spinifex](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24551863) by [Thimblerig](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thimblerig/pseuds/Thimblerig)
  * [[FANART] Getting Started, by Spinifex](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26062201) by [Regionalpancake](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Regionalpancake/pseuds/Regionalpancake)




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